First graders are continuing to learn how to use MicroWorlds Jr. (MW). MW is a LOGO-based animation tool for pre-readers, which can be used to control or program objects in simple interactive projects. As inspiration for their first project, we read the book Yo Yes in computer lab. Students are in the process of creating a simple animation where two turtles (the objects in MW that are programmable) walk towards each other and make an announcement upon touching each other.
2/2011
Students are using MicroWorlds Jr. to animate a scene where there are two turtles, one for themselves and one for their baby elephant. They will use the icon based programming tools to have the two turtles walk towards each other and make an announcement upon touching each other.
Here is an image of a completed project. When MicroWorlds Jr. is open, the elephant and the boy walk towards each other. Upon touching, they speak to each other and the boy's costume changes.
Some students have completed using Microsoft Word to answer questions about how their elephant became orphaned and what they do to care for them.
Here are the questions they are answering:
What is your baby elephants’ name?
Is your baby elephant a boy or a girl?
How did your baby elephant lose its mother?
How old was your baby elephant when he/she arrived at the orphanage?
How did your baby elephant travel to the orphanage?
What is your baby elephant’s favorite thing to do at the orphanage?
How did you let your baby elephant know that it could trust you and that you would take great care of it? Does your baby elephant get along with the other baby elephants?
How would you describe your baby elephant’s personality?
Write a 5 sentence short story about you and your baby elephant.
Those who have finished answering these questions are now using MicroWorlds Jr. to animate a scene where there are two turtles, one for themselves and one for their baby elephant. They will use the icon based programming tools to have the two turtles walk towards each other and make an announcement upon touching each other.
11/8/2010
Students In Wilma and Amanda's class have just begun learning about the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an orphanage in Kenya for baby elephants and rhinoceros. After learning about caring for orphaned baby elephants through video, images and the diaries of the keepers, they will imagine that they are a keeper at the orphanage and that they are responsible for the care of a baby elephant that has just arrived. They will use Microsoft Word to answer questions about how their elephant became orphaned and what they do to care for them. Then they will use MW to animate scenes between a baby elephant and themselves.
Students spent time in the computer lab learning about the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an orphanage in Kenya for baby elephants and rhinoceros. After learning how the orphaned elephants are cared for, they used MW to animate scenes between a baby elephant and themselves. They also used Microsoft Word to answer questions about how their elephants became orphaned and what they do to care for them.
Using the book Fish Is Fish as inspiration, students are currently using the icon based programming commands in MW to create an animation of the life cycle of a frog. Once the egg develops into a frog, the fish will swim towards the frog. When they touch each other, one of them will make an announcement.
Here is a sample of the costumes a student drew to represent each stage of a frog's life cycle.
2/2011
Students are using MicroWorlds Jr. to animate a scene where there are two turtles, one for themselves and one for their baby elephant. They will use the icon based programming tools to have the two turtles walk towards each other and make an announcement upon touching each other.
Here is an image of a completed project. When MicroWorlds Jr. is open, the elephant and the boy walk towards each other. Upon touching, they speak to each other and the boy's costume changes.1/2010
Some students have completed using Microsoft Word to answer questions about how their elephant became orphaned and what they do to care for them.
Here are the questions they are answering:
What is your baby elephants’ name?Is your baby elephant a boy or a girl?
How did your baby elephant lose its mother?
How old was your baby elephant when he/she arrived at the orphanage?
How did your baby elephant travel to the orphanage?
What is your baby elephant’s favorite thing to do at the orphanage?
How did you let your baby elephant know that it could trust you and that you would take great care of it?
Does your baby elephant get along with the other baby elephants?
How would you describe your baby elephant’s personality?
Write a 5 sentence short story about you and your baby elephant.
Those who have finished answering these questions are now using MicroWorlds Jr. to animate a scene where there are two turtles, one for themselves and one for their baby elephant. They will use the icon based programming tools to have the two turtles walk towards each other and make an announcement upon touching each other.
11/8/2010
Students In Wilma and Amanda's class have just begun learning about the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an orphanage in Kenya for baby elephants and rhinoceros. After learning about caring for orphaned baby elephants through video, images and the diaries of the keepers, they will imagine that they are a keeper at the orphanage and that they are responsible for the care of a baby elephant that has just arrived. They will use Microsoft Word to answer questions about how their elephant became orphaned and what they do to care for them. Then they will use MW to animate scenes between a baby elephant and themselves.
ORPHANS OF TSAVO
http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/orphans.asp
Students spent time in the computer lab learning about the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an orphanage in Kenya for baby elephants and rhinoceros. After learning how the orphaned elephants are cared for, they used MW to animate scenes between a baby elephant and themselves. They also used Microsoft Word to answer questions about how their elephants became orphaned and what they do to care for them.
Using the book Fish Is Fish as inspiration, students are currently using the icon based programming commands in MW to create an animation of the life cycle of a frog. Once the egg develops into a frog, the fish will swim towards the frog. W hen they touch each other, one of them will make an announcement.Here is a sample of the costumes a student drew to represent each stage of a frog's life cycle.
If you are interested in learning more about MW or purchasing it for your child to use at home follow this link:
http://www.microworlds.com/solutions/mwjunior.html